Marvelous Mozambique: learning in paradise
Posted on August 19, 2017
For the fourth year my underwater photography program has run in conjunction with Africa Media and Guinjata dive Centre, in marvelous mozambique. This August we've had 5 keen students learning to hone their photography skills. One of my favorite things about the program is that it brings people from different countries and walks of life together and here we live eat and breathe underwater photography for an entire month- can life get any better?
I'd like to introduce my five brilliant students and some of their macro shots from the past 2 weeks. They've been working super hard and I hope you enjoy them? Here we are starting out on the desk, learning manual settings.
Feel free to comment. I'll showcase 3 of them tonight and 2 tomorrow.
Let's start with the fairest sex first!
Sibylle Blumenthal
German born Sibylle lives in Dubai and has the most understanding boss in the world! Sib loves dive travel and spends a lot of time annually doing just that.sometimes I feel like I know what Sib is going to say before she says it and I think we have a lot of similarities and even similar tastes. I've known her 2 weeks but it feels much longer ~ in a good way. Sib is one clever, sassy lady and I hope I've made a friend for life.
Rob Buurman
Rob is from Holland and is Sib's 'other half' and he is a 'toy' junkie with some exceptional equipment and skills. Rob clearly does his homework and everything about him just -works! Rob loves diving and shooting everything that moves. With his exceptional diving skills, Rob manages to capture tiny details and I'm in awe his super macro work and jealous of his equipment. I hope to travel with Rob and Sib someday.
Ryan Forsyth
Ryan hails from a 'land down under', Perth, Oz. His fascination with the ocean and its inhabitants is infectious and refreshing. Sometimes it feels like Ryan has two ' left thumbs ' but it seems to work as his photos are incredible. He knew nothing about photography when he arrived and in 2 short weeks just look at his work! I expect great things from this young man.
Tomorrow, I'll introduce Waiganjo from Kenya and Miguel from Puerto Rico.
Fiona Ayerst
Praying to the old gods and the new
Posted on June 14, 2016
I’m back in East London chasing the Sardine Run.I wrote about the run last year and noted that the seething mass of kilometres long of shiny wriggling sardines just wasn’t there. Where is this magnificent spectacle; a formation of silver fish creating a shimmering mountain during their annual migration to warmer waters; spawning along the way. In the 90’s people wrote of shoals up to 10 km long, 2 km wide and 30 meters deep. I only have two days here in June 2016 but I will be back to try again in about a week. The air has been warm and the sea cold; perfect for sardines (and for humans) .There are plenty of common dolphins and small balls of red eye round herring (Etrumeus teres).
We also had an unforgettable interaction with a very curious humpback whale, that swam around the boat once and had a really good look at the 4 of us in the water. Here are some photos from these two days. I hope there will be more in about 3 weeks time. Maybe we will find the elusive mother load? I’m holding thumbs and asking- ‘the old gods and the new’.
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- red eyes in the afternoon light hiding under the boat
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- Leo and Carol check out the red eyes in the afternoon light
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- the humpback was very curious
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- Dylan freediving with a humpback swimming underneath him
Asante Sana
Posted on October 29, 2015
The Karoo remains a firm favourite of mine. As I write this blog I am so excited. I have been looking for some time and I feel have found paradise there. It’s hard to put into words as you have to see it. There’s a depression in the land- a valley- surrounded by majestic hills. The valley has a tree-lined river running through it and there’s a flood plain so that all the grass is super green; sweet and juicy.
the tranquility befitting of paradise
Above all it’s tranquil. If all that sounds like paradise then add the 100’s of animals that live there: and there you have it. Paradise.a sister version of the famous Ngorongoro crater in Tanzania.You can view the fossilised footprints of a dinosaur and as you gaze on the replica you truly feel transported back in time.
Recently, I spent a weekend soaking up the animal life and the sun. I am so super excited to take my interns there in 2016. Until then, Asante Sana baby and I hope you enjoy the small album of photos I have posted.
Valley of Desolation
Posted on February 25, 2015
Welcome to a photo essay- with a little writing just for info.
The sheer cliff face draws me in. As I stand on the edge there is an overpowering pull to look over the edge. I feel slightly queasy and pull back quickly. It’s a long way down- 120 meters to be exact. I feel grounded safely on the walkway looking out over the plains of Camdeboo. If you are a romantic and love the wide open spaces that Africa can still offer- then this place is your heaven.
The Valley of Desolation is a premier tourist destination located in the 19,500 hectare Camdeboo National Park near the Karoo town of Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape. The sheer cliff face and dolerite columns are a geological phenomenon caused by volcanic and erosive forces of nature over 100 million years.
The Valley of Desolation was declared a Scenic National Monument in 1935, and is a mecca for hikers, photographers, and nature lovers. There is a tarred road to the top offering easy access to a number of viewpoints. There are also plenty of hiking trails for the adventurous so if you have time spend the day there. If you do then look out for the majestic soaring black eagles that nest hear but have a home range of thousands of kms- if you are lucky they may be near their nest.
Here’s the promised gallery
Fiona Ayerst's Blog 